Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Can Your Culture Stomach Intrapreneurship

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Can Your Culture Stomach Intrapreneurship Today’s companies are under pressure to become more intrapreneurial, or dedicated to using entrepreneurial strategies within the context of an organization. However, not all cultures can make it work, and you should understand what’s really essential if you want to go down this path. Intrapreneurship was first defined in 1978 by Gifford and Elizabeth Pinchot and referred to free market entrepreneurship within the corporate organization. Lately, however, this practice has become a critical means for companies of all sizes to ignite innovation within their ranks and leapfrog ahead of the competition. According to consulting firm Ernst Young’s article on intrapreneurship, there are two cultural factors necessary for an intrapreneurship initiative to get off the ground: encouragement and support from senior management and reassurance that even when ideas fail, intrapreneurs will not lose their jobs or be punished in other ways. This is easier said than done. After all, the post-recession business climate is a risk-averse one. Senior managers’ priority is to keep the organization afloat, sometimes at the expense of driving new growth. Intrapreneurship sounds good written down, but when the time comes to actively implement it, many executives are understandably squeamish. One Step at a Time Some conglomerates are championing the concept anyway. On Fast Company’s co.exist blog, Jennifer Silberman, the vice president of corporate responsibility at Hilton, says her company’s intrapreneurial efforts mostly reside in corporate responsibility (CR) for now. Silberman claims that some of Hilton’s most significant accomplishments of late, including LightStay (which calculates a hotel’s environmental impact), were developed as a result of intrapreneurship. “Employees identified the opportunity to create a new product to track the sustainability footprint of our properties,” she says. “This tool was rolled out across the enterprise and has not only resulted in reduced energy, water use, waste and carbon outputs, but also has generated over $147 million in cost savings.” Check out the full post at the AMEX Open Forum.

Decoding the Dress Code Jargaon For Any Business Occasion

Decoding the Dress Code Jargaon For Any Business Occasion We all know that we should overdress for a job interview, but once you have the job, how do you choose your daily outfit? What is the dress code for after-hours networking events or client meetings? Dressing for business may sometimes seem confusing, but it usually boils down to 3-4 categories and knowing which look is appropriate for each setting. Sometimes, businesses or events will conveniently provide instructions in the employee manual or on the invitation, but what does business casual really mean? If you’re wondering just how casual you can get on Casual Friday, check out the guidelines for any business occasion below. Business Formal The small business world may trend toward the casual, but larger offices will typically require corporate dress, or business professional. Luckily, only about 9 percent of workers are required to wear   more formal business attire, so you may not need to worry about this. Every workplace will have different guidelines, but they will typically call for suits for both men and women. Coat and tie should be sufficient for men, but ladies have a few options. While a dress with a jacket should be acceptable, a skirt or suit is usually the norm. Business Casual Business casual is one of the most popular dress codes in most workplaces. In the US, about 43 percent of workers wear casual business attire. Even though it says casual, don’t expect to break out your shorts or jeans. Men can probably wear a collared shirt or polo without a tie, but only wear a T-shirt once you’re sure it is allowed. Ladies can wear dresses or skirts, and khakis or dress pants are acceptable for everyone. Formal/Black Tie Formal attire is the fanciest you’ll ever be required to dress for a work function, which means it’s time to dust off your tuxedo or gown. Ladies can break out a ball gown and fine jewelry. Men should wear a tuxedo, if available, but a dark suit with pocket square will suffice. Semi-Formal Also known as cocktail attire, semi-formal is typically a slightly dressed down version of formal. For men, it’s as easy as a suit with no tie, but you may want to bring a tie along for the night if other guests are wearing them. For women, cocktail dresses and heels are the norm. Smart Casual Smart casual is a variant of business casual, but think “Casual Friday” clothes. Make sure to ask you manager first, but smart casual can include jeans, but make sure they are appropriate for the office, not for going out. Casual If you work at a tech company, you’re probably familiar with casual dress at work. Casual will usually include anything that you would typically wear out to lunch on the weekends, like shorts and a T-shirt.  Most companies do have guidelines even for casual dress, so make sure you understand the rules. And remember, just because you are allowed to dress casually doesn’t mean that you always should. If you have a meeting with a client, try throwing on a polo and khakis at the very least.

Women and Leadership in Grad School Promoting Women MBAs

Women and Leadership in Grad School Promoting Women MBAs Thinking about getting an MBA?  Todays article was written by Katherine Watson, Co-Founder Admission Strategist at JK, a consulting firm specializing in cutting-edge tailored Admission Strategies for Applicants from all around the world.   According to the  GMAC  Global Management Education Graduate Survey, 106,000 women took the GMAT exam last year.  More and more women are pursuing graduate business degrees in finance or accounting.  Unfortunately, this does not lead to more women in leadership positions or equal salaries for male and  female MBA graduates. In the US, more than 1/3 of MBA students are women.   Even though  female MBA graduates submitted 20% more job applications than male graduates last year, they received half the job offers (according to  GMAC). In her first post-MBA job, a woman will earn $4,600 less than a man hired  for the same job, (according to a report from Catalyst). It is not a question of ambition or private life issues Some people would say that women are less ambitious and not ready to make as many sacrifices as men in their personal lives.  If these assumptions are true, why would global companies and top ranked business schools be members of the  Forté foundation  to promote women in business, encourage female MBAs and increase the number of women leaders? The truth is a little more complex. First of all, women are wanted at business schools because they are more flexible and can manage work, family and studies while pursuing their MBAs. Women MBAs not only excel in finance but also work in non-profit organizations or even start their own businesses.? Secondly,valuable initiatives for women in business exist. The  Forté foundation and the  National Association of Women MBAs (NAWMBA)  fight to promote women in business and post-graduate education in a modern and efficient way.  Instead of starting a discourse about the glass ceiling, lets think about the solutions.   How to overcome this vicious cycle As there will be more and more women MBAs graduating, the vicious circle of the glass ceiling can be overcome. Simone de Beauvoir, in  her very famous “The Second Sex”, wrote: “One was not born as a woman. One becomes a woman”. Think about it deeply: neither man, nor woman was born successful in business. The opportunity to create    genuine success  is reachable.  Promotion and support for women in business from global companies and foundations  amounts to  more women MBAs   graduating from top ranked business schools. This leads to more  women hired  by global companies who support foundations like Forté or NAWMBA.  With  corporate companies following this trend, women in alumni networks all over the world will hire and promote young female graduates and the cycle can finally come to an end. Readers, what do you think?  Are you surprised by these statistics about women and leadership?

25+ Retail Skills for the Retail Worker Resume - Algrim.co

25+ Retail Skills for the Retail Worker Resume - Algrim.co Retail associates and retail workers run the U.S. The retail industry in America as more than 29 million people part of it. With more than 42 million jobs. Making it one of the most highly sought after industries for entry-level workers as well as those with prior management experience. The sheer scale of retail positions in the U.S. makes for incredible job opportunities. But what will make you stand out as a potential candidate? Your first guess is ensuring that your resume contains the right set of skills that retail managers are looking for. Deciding which retail skills to list on your resume can be difficult. But this guide is going to help you breakdown which skills you might be suitable for and how to implement them as part of your job application assets. Before We Get Into Retail Skills Before jumping into vital retail skills for retail associates and retail workers, we need to look at what makes a great retail employee. There are a few areas of interest which make great retail workers. Great customer service Being able to provide incredible customer experience and customer support which is representative of the brand is a key part of being a great retail worker. Great people skills Having the ability to communicate to someone, even when they’re unhappy with their product or service, is a vital component of being a great retail worker. Knowledge of the product or service Being familiar with the product or service is key. If you work at a lighting store and a customer walks into the retail location asking you about which light fixture is best for them, will you know how to help? Administrative abilities On top of managing the floor and customers, are you able to handle your administrative tasks? Like assisting with payroll, scheduling, purchasing, merchandise control, quality control, and more? Retail workers are tasked with having regular office type duties on top of their customer service duties. Incredible communication abilities It’s not simply communicating to customers. You’ll be challenged with communicating and coordinating with other retail associates and retail workers on the floor, while also communicating with customers. This puts pressure and strain on you as a worker. Those with high degrees of communication talents can do this. Ability to operate technology Technology today isn’t just a Point of Sale (POS) System, it may be mobile-based barcode scanners and inventory management systems that you may need to operate. Do you have a basic understanding of how to learn new technology? Ability to sell Great retail workers aren’t simply those with knowledge of the product, they are those who can help assist in the sales of a product. Using various sales techniques, as a retail worker, you should be able to contribute to store sales and revenue. While there are a few more key functional areas that make up great retail workers. These are your most important. And your skills apply to these functions you might serve while on the job. Why is this important? If you decide you want to speak to a particular skill that isn’t on our list, be sure it’s a skill that applies to one of these functional groups. Retail Skills List These skills can be listed on your resume, brought up in your interview or listed on your cover letter using prior work experience storytelling. If you aren’t sure how to do this, be sure to continue reading and find out the best way to implement these skills based on your needs. Administrative Tasks Inventory Management Skills Merchandising Skills Inventory Picking Skills Inventory Organization Skills Time Management Skills Stock Management Skills Restocking Skills Display Management Skills Visual Merchandising Skills Window Display Skills Analytical Skills Cash Accountability Skills Cash Handling Skills Pricing Skills Credit Checking Skills Customer Benefit Program Management Skills Data Entry Skills Basic Computer Skills Computer Skills Product Rotation Skills Shipping and Receiving Skills Product Sourcing Skills Price Strategy Skills Sales Skills Influence Skills Persuasion Skills Persistence Skills Suggestion Giving Skills Sales Strategy Skills Retail Sales Skills Product Feature Walkthrough Skills Sales Goal Skills Brand Awareness Skills Comprehension Skills Empathy Skills Negotiation Skills Purchase Agreement Skills Price Quote Skills Price Check Skills Sales Pattern Skills Teamwork Skills Sales Floor Management Skills Coordination Skills Sales Associate Directive Skills Direction Giving Skills Direction Taking Skills Display Floor Management Skills Empathy Skills Active Listening Skills Body Language Reading Skills Team Motivational Skills Customer Service Skills Customer Support Skills Customer Empathy Skills Customer Issue Management Skills Customer Complaint Management Skills Customer Disgruntlement Management Skills Customer Phone Support Skills Return Management Skills Refund Management Skills Flexibility Skills Adaptability Skills Interpersonal Skills Team Building Skills Relationship Building Skills Friendliness Skills Respectfulness Skills While all of these skills are simplified for you to be able to list them on your resume, consider the additional, more detailed functions of a retail worker. From being able to be tasked with sales goals, to the ability to meet those goals. And from being able to establish fast rapport with customers, to being able to handle unhappy customers and addressing their preferences. There are an infinite number of ways that your particular job function might require certain details that you might want to allude to. The best way to try and target your skills is to read through the job description or online job posting. From there, you should be able to find the responsibilities portion of the job description. And that can be a great indicator for what types of skills you should address in your job application. How to Implement These Skills on Your Retail Job Application There are four key areas where you can implement these skills on your job application assets. They are considered: your cover letter, your resume summary, your resume experience, and in your job interview. You might be thinking, well the job interview isn’t the job application. While that’s true, it is imperative that we align your skills in your resume and cover letter with the questions that you might be asked when you interview. This will create a linear path for you to be able to speak to prior work experience and increase your chances of getting a job offer. On your cover letter When speaking to particular skills on your cover letter, you shouldn’t simply list them. For example, you wouldn’t want to create a bullet list of skills and have one of them be “Respectfulness Skills”. The more ideal way to implement these retail skills onto your cover letter is to consider prior work experience and business scenarios where you had to exhibit one of these skills. Was it an unhappy customer that came into the store yelling? How did you handle that? Was it a disagreement between two retail sales associates? How did you handle that? Speak to real experiences and your skills will be communicated as a byproduct of that. On your resume summary A resume summary is a great way to start your resume. It is a three to four sentence long opening statement that paraphrases your prior work experience. If you can, allude to the skills that you’ve had to use in prior work experiences. For example, you might want to mention that you know one of the most valuable skills for retail workers is to be able to establish fast rapport with customers. Stating that is a great way to show that you understand the needs of the job and have obtained the skills necessary to drive success in the position. On your resume experience Resume experience should contain bullet points that speak to your prior job functions and responsibilities. If you can, integrate the retail skills into this portion of your resume. This will align your cover letter, resume summary, and future job interview questions perfectly. In your interview There’s no better way to show your soft skills and talents than to perform them in the job interview. Is the interviewer asking you questions? Do you want to be sure you clearly understand the interviewer? Then maybe you exhibit active listening skills while they’re doing that. Think through prior business scenarios and how you might be able to communicate that to your interviewer in order to allude to your soft skills. These scenarios should contain a business challenge, the soft skills you used to overcome the business challenge, and the outcome or success that came from a resolution of the challenge. Retail Positions These Skills Are Applicable For If you aren't sure whether or not your job requires some of the retail skills mentioned in our list, here is a shortlist of job titles which they're suitable for. Retail Associate Retail Manager Retail Store Manager Cashier Visual Merchandiser Sales Associate

9 Expert Tips For Older Job Seekers To Get The Dream Job!

9 Expert Tips For Older Job Seekers To Get The Dream Job! Nowadays, there is this trend in almost every industry that employees in their mid-thirties are considered old as old workers. In fact, one of my previous employers considered one of his employees old even when he was in his early thirties.The older you get, the longer it will take you to get a job and get hired. Therefore, you need to go the extra mile for getting a job.evalBut what you can do to overcome this age discrimination and increase your chances of getting a job?You have to get rid of your age discrimination by some strategies and method to continue enjoying your employment. Here they are:1. Brush Up Your ResumeOne way to overcome this issue that your age is an issue is to proof your age and edit your resume efficiently. You can limit what you include on your resume, from a chronological perspective, that can overcome the issue of “being old” by the employer.2. Write A Compelling Cover LetterYour cover letter is also really critical. You need to really choosy in this wr iting your color. You should absolutely know what to include in it and what to not. You cannot hide your age; you just need to show in that way so that employers cannot even think that you are over age.3. Emphasize On Your Relevant ExperienceWe have seen the resume with all the job experience candidates ever have. You do not need to list all your job experience. Just include most recent job experiences. If you are listing your education in your resume, do not include graduate dates.4. Interview Answers for Older ApplicantsInterviewers cannot ask your age directly. However, they still ask questions to determine your age. You need to answer them in a way that you do not disclose your age. Keep in mind that do not offend them by answering rudely, just answer politely.5. Interview Tip For Older Job SeekersThe interview is the most important part of getting a job. Interview not just includes your relevant knowledge but it includes how you dress, how you speak, how you convince other pers on and much more. So you need to prepare yourself so well that age should not seem to be an issue to your interviewer.6. Dress Up Like A GentlemanevalYou can hide your age by trick and techniques in your resume and cover letter but you cannot hide your appearance. If its two button suit is in trend now days then make sure you wear two button suit. Your hair cut should be according to the present era. Try to look like you are living in present not past.7. Use your NetworkReference is still a key to get a job. If you have studied from a well-known alma mater and your old friends are in your field, try to reach them and get ask a job. Age will not be a big issue for them. You should keep in touch with your old friends they can get you a good job.8. Consider a Career ChangeIf you are not happy with your job or your job is getting bored now then just switch your job. You should be really conscious in switching your job as you are already in your mid age so your career should be long term and easy for you.9. Don’t Give UpNo matter what happen, if you do not get a job just do not give up at any time or cost. You need to keep trying and stuck to your main motive which is getting a job. If you are strong and firm and do not leave your main objective then let me assure you will definitely get a job.

Whose Job is it to Define Your Passion for Your Work

Whose Job is it to Define Your Passion for Your Work There is a great conversation going on over on the Punk Rock HR blog about passion and whether or not passion can be or should be measured as part of employee performance . Some say passion is generally not a term that is synonymous with work and others say that passion is not a measurable performance dimension. I have a slightly different take on thisthat passion manifests itself in different ways in different people and theres no one right way to spot it.This became apparent to me twice this week for two different reasons. Im currently reading the book Look Me in the Eye, a memoir by John Elder Robinson (brother of Running With Scissors author, Augusten Burroughs) about growing up and living with Aspergers syndrome. Throughout the memoir, Robinsons passion for what he does (he is a creative genius with savant-like engineering design skills) is obvious to the reader, but perhaps not to his supervisors who describe him as arrogant, not a team player, and a poor manager. As an Aspergi an who often struggles with how to react in certain social situations, his passion for figuring out how things work was sometimes overshadowed by the fact that he relates to the world around him in a way that is different than others and often misinterpreted.My second realization of how easy it can be to misinterpret or totally miss someones passion came during a conversation I had with a friend recently. He is in sales and his job is pretty stressful. He doesnt earn a base salary and only makes money when he makes a sale. Hes basically on call seven days a week, people are always trying to get in touch with him at all hours of the day and night, and he needs to routinely deal with a lot of product defects, bureaucracy, and customers with unrealistic expectations. Needless to say, there are a lot of things that can go wrong and many things to complain about in his line of work. Yet the way he complains about all the uncertainty of what he does is also the telltale sign of how passio nate he is about what he does. Now if you told him this he would probably roll his eyes or make a wisecrack like Yeah, I guess Im passionate about paying my rent but I can tell that he is passionate about the satisfaction derived from working through all the problems, influencing customers, and ultimately closing the sale. But Im not sure if he had a boss that person would recognize his style as passionate (luckily he is self-employed).I would have to agree with Punk Rock HR blogger Laurie Reuttimanns take on passionthat you own it, not your company, and organizations probably shouldnt be trying to measure something that is really impossible to define in a consistent way.Are you passionate about what you do in an offbeat, non-traditional, hard to measure way? Id like to hear your story.

How To Write A Resume For Freshman Students

How To Write A Resume For Freshman StudentsCan you write a resume for freshman students? As the most recent college graduates, many of us are going through a lot of confusion as to how to write a resume for freshman students. There are a lot of things that can confuse you when you are looking for tips for writing a resume for freshman students. However, once you get to know about the basics, it will be easier for you to write your own resume for the incoming freshman.Applying for a job that requires a bachelor's degree is the most common requirement for this new entering group. To help students write their resumes, a lot of schools are offering services to the public to help you get prepared for the job application process. However, some of these services may not be as valuable as others.A good way to help yourself when you are looking for help writing resume for freshman students is to prepare yourself ahead of time. Try to gather as much information about the job requirements of th e position that you want to apply for. Think about it, if you do not know anything about the job that you are applying for, how can you expect to get an interview or to get hired. The information that you gather in advance will help you be prepared for the job interview.Another thing that you can do in order to help yourself to write a resume for freshman students is to be self-assured and confident in the information that you present. You may have done a great job when you were writing your college level essay, but if the interviewer notices that you are unsure of what you are talking about, it can lead to a less than positive impression. Self-assurance will make you come across as the most competent candidate.A third tip for writing a resume for freshman students is to study other resumes. Recruiters are already well aware of the competition among schools. They want to make sure that you are serious about your career choice. Once you get a chance to view other resumes from other s chools, you will get a better idea of what the requirements are for the job that you are applying for. This will also give you a chance to consider which of the schools might be better for you.It is not always easy to get information on other schools. The information that you get should not just be limited to the school's campus and information on their curriculums. Many schools also have out-of-state recruiting coordinators. These people may be able to give you a head start on what the job requirements are like at the other school. Just be sure to ask for information on these people if you want to get a head start.An additional tip for writing a resume for freshman students is to make use of the other resources that are available to you. Recruiters love to recruit new students who have not yet found their way in the professional world. Knowing what to say and how to make yourself appear as more qualified can help you land a great job.Remember that you will be speaking with many peo ple on a daily basis. If you want to get the most out of the experience, make sure that you look great and act confident in all of your appearances. Be sure to keep yourself updated on any changes that may affect your job search in the professional world.